Phone expressions are helpful when discussing communication and the usage of mobile devices in daily life.
Phone Expressions
- Hang up
Meaning: End a phone call.
Example: She hung up after saying goodbye. - Hold the line
Meaning: Wait on the phone.
Example: Please hold the line; I’ll connect you. - Call it a day
Meaning: Stop working for the day.
Example: After finishing the call, they called it a day. - Pick up
Meaning: Answer the phone.
Example: Can you pick up the phone? - Call back
Meaning: Return someone’s phone call.
Example: I’ll call back later with details. - Give someone a buzz
Meaning: Call someone on the phone.
Example: I’ll give you a buzz tomorrow morning. - Drop a call
Meaning: Lose connection during a call.
Example: The network is bad; it keeps dropping calls. - Off the hook
Meaning: Very busy with phone calls.
Example: The customer service line is off the hook. - Phone tag
Meaning: Series of missed calls between people.
Example: We played phone tag all day yesterday. - On the line
Meaning: Currently speaking on the phone.
Example: She’s on the line with the manager. - Call it quits
Meaning: End something, often a relationship.
Example: They called it quits after a long argument. - Dial in
Meaning: Join a phone meeting.
Example: We’ll dial in at 9 AM. - Speed dial
Meaning: Quick dialing of stored numbers.
Example: My mom’s number is on speed dial. - Get through
Meaning: Reach someone successfully by phone.
Example: After several tries, I got through. - Hang by a thread
Meaning: In a precarious situation.
Example: Their relationship is hanging by a thread. - Ring off the hook
Meaning: Phone ringing constantly.
Example: His phone rang off the hook after the promotion. - Call the shots
Meaning: Be in charge, make decisions.
Example: In our team, Sarah calls the shots. - Blow up someone’s phone
Meaning: Call or text someone excessively.
Example: He blew up her phone with messages. - Cold call
Meaning: Unsolicited marketing call.
Example: I received a cold call offering insurance. - Prank call
Meaning: A joke or hoax phone call.
Example: The kids often make prank calls for fun.